DANG, Jan 5:  The High Court, Tulsipur, on Friday issued an interim order, asking the Dang-based Rapti Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS) not to increase its service charges.

Following a writ petition filed by advocate Sudip Gautam and locals Bibek Shrestha and Madan Oli on Thursday, the high court ordered RAHS not to implement the new service charges. The petitioners have demanded that the new service charge list be scrapped "as it was prepared without a senate meeting of RAHS."

RAHS unveiled the new service-charge list, which came into effect from last Tuesday. The locals had widely criticized the RAHS for reducing the pregnancy allowance and charging Rs 3,000 each for delivery services. Stating that the academy has increased the service charges violating the health rights guaranteed by the constitution, the court ordered not to implement the hiked service charges. 

"The new service charges fixed by the Academy can deprive a lot of people of medical treatment," said advocate Gautam, adding, "Fortunately, the court has delivered a verdict in favor of the people." Earlier, RAHS had increased the Out Patient Department (OPD) charge of Rapti Sub-regional Hospital from Rs 25 to Rs 100.

Likewise, it had also increased the emergency charge to Rs 200.  In the past, patients did not have to pay bed charges but now they are paying Rs 20 per day. The patients are being compelled to pay Rs 2,000 even for minor surgeries.

 
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